Review: Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout

[mishalak]

Bleah! This is more like an IPA than a Stout. It commits the usual American sin of using too much hops in the brew. It comes off as bitter and not in the pleasant way like a chokecherry or coffee. A beer is like music. This piece is dominated by one loud off key trumpet loudly blaring, "Yes, we use a lot of hops in our beer! That sez quality! Quality!" If you usually find beer too subtle for you then this is the beer to try, nothing subtle about it. And the barley tastes more burnt than roasted, and I usually like dark beers. Thumbs down.

Comments

[margorand.livejournal.com]

I'm not a fan of that one either. Too metallic and watery.

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

By coincidence I had their Vanilla Porter last night, and it was decent
enough, with none of the flaws you report from the Oatmeal Stout. My last
one of those was Youngs' Oatmeal Stout, one of their last brews before
they move out of London, and lovely.

BTW you are so right about balance in beers. The times I've become ecstatic about beer is when a draught one has felt just right, every component in harmony with the others.